A FINAL BOW THANKS TO THE ACTORS FUND

Just four days after the lights of Broadway dimmed in his honor, actor Harlan Bengel was lovingly buried in a gorgeous Kensico plot generously provided by The Actors Fund. It was a proper end for a man totally devoted to theater whose family and friends were still reeling from his sudden death. Grieving colleagues who’d been in the Broadway cast of “War Horse” sang “Only Remembered” at the grave.

It’s important to note and remember that 120 years ago, working actors had no benefits, resources and virtually no protection at the end of life. In 1886, The Actors Fund purchased its first plot at the Cemetery of the Evergreens in Brooklyn, New York, and then in 1904, a second expanse of land at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla. These plots today are the final resting place of over 2,000 members of the entertainment industry. Today, The Actors Fund continues to assist with the cost of funerals and provides a gravesite with a headstone to those in need. In addition, the fund offers pre-planning advice and assistance for those interested in purchasing a gravesite.

Childhood friends and fellow actors carried the simple pine box with flowers in the hues of a sunset.

A gorgeous grave site was chosen for Harlan Bengel in the area of Kensico reserved for screen and stage actors.